Frozen in Time
by madsiejean
Summary: "They're back" I don't want to look yet, can't look yet. I'm petrified of what I might see. But my heart eventually wins over my head, and I steel myself and lift my eyes to meet whom I've been longing for all these months...and now it's as if I'm frozen in time. A One-Shot on my interpretation of Katniss and Peeta's reunion in Mockingjay.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! I'm Maddie and I'm new to writing fanfiction but I am a massive Hunger Games fangirl of both the trilogy (my favorite series out there!) and the movies. I've wanted to write something for so long! I've just seen the new Mockingjay Part 1 movie and it blew. me. away! That last scene though with Katniss and Peeta's reunion was very bitter and I have to admit, the reunion also in the Mockingjay book was just as devastating. So I wanted to put my own twist on it and throw my imagination at it and give it a go. So this is a One-Shot of my interpretation of Katniss and Peeta's reunion (NOTE: there is no hijacking!). This is my first story so please review, favorite and follow my story and account - that would be amazing! Hope you all enjoy :) **

**Disclaimer: As much as I wish I could say the works of Suzanne Collins are mine I sadly can't :( so all rights go to S.C!**

* * *

><p><em>"They're back."<em>

Haymitch's words swoon through my head, overlapping themselves into one long chain of thought. My own body reacts before I can truly decipher what the words mean but my legs have a mind of their own.

I leap up onto my feet - slightly dizzy from sitting immobile for so long – and grab Finnick's arm, hauling him also, with all my strength my slight frame can muster, to his feet. The piece of rope falls from his grip, as he also tries to comprehend those two words. I take Finnick's hand and lead him like a small child through Special Defense; he's acting strange, as if he's lost the ability to move but I so desperately want to run, minimizing the distance between Peeta and myself.

Peeta. For so long – months now – his name has only been a source of confusion, guilt, regret but right now, all I can register is that I can have him back. He can be in my arms, safe, and I'll be able to inhale his scent of cinnamon and dill. One I've grown accustomed to know as a sense of comfort and safety for so long now.

My longing for Peeta in this moment is so intense that I can feel the giddiness rising up my being.

Guiding Finnick, we enter the lift that goes this way and that. I can feel my own body trembling in anticipation and will the numbers that signify the floor level to move faster. Eventually, after what feels like minutes, but can't have been more than thirty seconds, the doors to the lift open up to the hospital wing; the place is in an uproar.

Everywhere there are doctors, nurses, wheeling hospital beds occupied by the wounded and sick. My feet have stopped, as has Finnick's, as we desperately seek out whom we search for. My hysteria continues to grow, gnawing at my insides, as the seconds tick by - then a familiar face.

Finnick and I are side swept as a gurney bearing an unconscious, emaciated young woman skids by, obviously in a rush. The woman's head is completely shaved and the scalp harbors purple and brown bruises that dent the skull. Oozing scabs dot her flesh as does another collection of bruises. I can't tear my eyes away from the body because I know this woman to be Johanna Mason. Who actually knew rebel secrets, and this is how she paid for it. I take a large gulp but I can still taste bile rising up my throat. My only hope is that Peeta didn't pay a similar price.

Eventually, I tear my eyes away from Johanna's fragile being and catch a glimpse of Gale through a doorway, stripped to the waist, perspiration streaming down his face as a doctor removes something from under his shoulder blade with a long pair of tweezers.

I let out a long breath that I didn't even know I was holding: he made it back alive. Wounded, but alive. That's one less person to worry about but right now, Gale isn't on the top of my priority list.

"Finnick!" Something between a shriek and a cry of joy. A bedraggled young woman – dark tangled hair, sea green eyes – charges towards us in a feat of desperation, stumbling a couple of times but recovering. Finnick's head perks up as he frantically scans the room for the girl's voice.

"Finnick!" His eyes eventually meet with the woman's and suddenly, it's as if there's no one in the world but these two. Finnick drops my hand and sprints to meet the girl, crashing through space to reach her. They collide, enfold, lose their balance and slam against a wall, where they stay. Clinging into one being. Invisible.

Amongst all their reunion, I catch the girl's name. "Annie…" I hear it come from Finnick's voice in a raspy whisper, trying to speak clearer amongst all his tears and wracked sobs. Annie's no better, as I see wet, salty tears streaming down her face but even they can't hide the sweetest smile that accents her face.

A pang of jealousy hits me. Not for Finnick or Annie but for their certainty. No one could ever doubt his or her love.

Bogg's finds Haymitch and me, both of us jittery with nerves and anticipation. "We got them all out. Except Enobaria. But since she's from Two, we doubt she's being held anyway. Peeta's at the end of the hall. The effects of the gas are just wearing off. You should be there when he wakes."

Peeta. Once again his name sets off so many emotions, but not even the negative ones can wipe the dimple-revealing smile that is plastered to my face. Haymitch just chuckles, smiling down at me. "C'mon sweetheart. Don't leave the poor boy waiting."

The giddiness has truly gotten hold of my body by this point. My fingers won't stop fiddling and I continue to weave them through and through each other. I'm almost skipping in excitement at the prospect of seeing Peeta.

I skid to a halt outside his door, staring at the knob that is the one pathway between him and me. Suddenly, I'm overcome with a terror. _What do I say? What do I do?_ This will be the first time I see Peeta for months and nerves consume me. My hysteria begins to climb again and I can feel my breathing rate increase. My tremors return but I have not the will power to stop them and suddenly all the white walls and the lights inside this building seem to bright, to garish. Then I feel Haymitch's tough hand on my back.

"It's okay sweetheart," it's as if he can read my mind, my actions, my emotions, "the boy won't care what you do. He just wants to see your face, hear your voice. Go on Katniss."

It's enough to make me place my hand on the knob and suck in a deep breath. Slowly, my hand twists the knob, pushing the door open and revealing what lies inside these walls. I shut my eyes dreading what I will see. Slowly, gingerly, I take one step forward, wincing as I open my eyes to cautiously watch my feet move across the wooden floorboards, one step after another.

I don't want to look yet, can't look yet. I'm petrified of what I might see. _What if Peeta is dead, that his heart stopped as it did at the end of our first games, when the doctors revived him or in our second games, when he hit the force field and Finnick revived him? What if the doctor's couldn't save him this time? What if he's paralyzed or worse: what if he doesn't remember me?_ But my heart eventually wins over my head, immediately queuing the 'what ifs…' and I steel myself and lift my eyes to meet whom I've been longing for all these months…

At first, all I see are the backs of white-coated doctors, swarming around a hospital bed but then, over the shoulder of a brown-headed nurse; I catch a glimpse of unruly golden blonde curls. My heart leaps and immediately I know its Peeta. No one else has the same shade of blonde as his hair does.

I take a quick glance back at Haymitch - who is now standing inside the door with the sweetest half-smile on his face (I take advantage of that smile now, as I know that they are going to be very rare and hard to come by.) – and he gives me a reassuring nod. Encouraged, I creep further forward towards the doctors and the boy with the bread. Every now and then, I catch a glimpse of him: a blonde curl here, and a flash of his skin there, until eventually I can see the outlines of his legs under the bed-sheet through the mass of doctors. Soon, they take notice of me, a few give knowing smiles and part, exiting the room, so I have a clear pathway to Peeta.

And then it's as if I'm frozen in time.

My eyes widen as they meet with the pure blue irises of his. His face, covered in purple and black bruises and a fresh red scar that lines the side of his face, sends me into shock. I scan the rest of his body. His arms and legs, covered in puckered scars and burn marks, cuts and bruises that spread down the very lengths of him. _What did they do to you?!_ I force myself to take long deep breaths. No matter what they did to him, he's still Peeta, my Boy with the Bread, and he's here, safe now with me.

A few loose, stray curls dangle down his forehead and into his eyes, but nothing can hide the intoxicating emotions that flash over his face: surprise, confusion, awe, doubt, hope and then finally only something I can note as happiness. I can hear the blood pulsing in my ears as I stare at the boy with the bread, trying to untangle my own emotions.

But Peeta's the first to move.

He sweeps back the bed sheet in one swipe of his arm and swings his legs, prosthetic and all, over the edge of the mattress. And then, with a grunt of effort, pushes himself to his feet. Peeta's legs shake slightly as his full weight is placed on his strained leg muscles but the determination in his mesmerizing eyes is unmistakable.

I still can't move. But my hearing and eyesight have seemed to magnify by 100%. I can hear every tread Peeta makes and the slight echo that every footfall leaves. I can see every rustle of the tattered shirt and pants as he makes every slight move towards me.

But I'm still frozen in time, frozen by the boy creeping towards me with arms stretched wide, probably to embrace me, an ever growing smile on his face.

That's when I feel the first tear fall, dripping down my cheek, chin and eventually falling and landing on my designated District 13 grey shirt.

Peeta's smile falters at the sight of my tear, obviously hurt at my reaction towards him, and suddenly I can't take it anymore.

I run full throttle towards him and his eyes widen in surprise. I launch myself into his arms and wrap my own around his torso and bury my face in the crook of his neck where finally, my tears flow freely. Peeta's arms encircle my waist, pulling my body towards his in a tight embrace. His face submerges in my hair and he moves one hand up to my head to hold me in place. A wracked sob escapes my lips "Peeta…"

This only makes Peeta hold me tighter to him and when he whispers into my hair, "Please tell me you're real." I can't help my heart ache for him.

"So real Peeta, I'm here, I'm so sorry, what did they do to you, this is all my fault, I'm so sorry" I gasp out in-between sobs. "I missed you so much, don't leave me."

"Hey, hey I'm fine don't worry about me, this is not your fault, this is Snow's fault. I'm not going anywhere," he whispers in my ear. Then I can feel the small drops of wetness on my shoulders and the slight trembling of his body and I know right then that Peeta's crying too.

We're both a mess, both of us crying and clutching onto each other for dear life. And in this moment, I know I've underestimated myself. During the time District 13 was being bombed and we were sheltering in the bunker, what Finnick said was wholly true. "_…you do love him. I'm not saying in what way. Maybe you don't know yourself. But anyone paying attention could see how much you care about him._" And in this moment, after I know that Peeta is safe and with me – away from any schemes of Snow's – I finally realize myself that I do love him. I love Peeta Mellark. I love the Boy with the Bread. And I can't believe how stupid I was to not realize myself until I thought I lost him.

I take the opportunity to inhale his smell, to breathe in his scent of cinnamon and dill. And it is so much of Peeta.

My head keeps screaming at me to not give in, to let him go, but for once in my life I know to trust my heart. It's already been proven that I'm useless to the rebellion without Peeta when I broke down after the bombing of Thirteen, which only presses my case further that I do love him.

I pull away from Peeta, and his arms slowly retract from my waist. I take a moment just to stare into his eyes, bright pools of blue that I lose myself in, melting until nothing but my true inner feelings are left. Peeta reaches up and strokes the side of my face, as if confirming I'm still there. I lean into his touch, closing my eyes and soaking in every last bit of Peeta. His calloused but yet gentle fingers glide smoothly over my skin, leaving a trail of fire in its place. Until he withdraws his hand and suddenly I'm scared to open my eyes. Terrified to discover that he was just a fleeting dream, a desired memory where only a shadow is left in my wake. And I don't want to return to the real world. I want to stay with Peeta, run away where the world is no longer complicated, where we can sort out our problems together, where there is no pain and suffering but only our love for each other.

"Katniss…please look at me" Peeta's pleading voice breaks through my daydream, but I can't look, can't open my eyes to discover he's gone.

"Katniss, pleas-"

"Don't leave me! Stay here, don't go!" I squeeze my eyes shut tighter, willing Peeta to stay here.

"Katniss…I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you, please just look-"

"That's what my dreams say too-"

"But the Capitol didn't tell me that. They told me you were dead, Katniss. And I've just found out that you're alive. That I can hold you and not let you go. And believe me, I don't plan on letting you go for a long while now. Please just open your eyes…please, for me."

I consider his words over and over again. And my once again selfish self has overruled my heart. Of course he got off worse than me! Here I was dreaming to be with him, where he was in the Capitol being tortured and told that I was dead. He got off far worse than I did and suddenly more tears escape my eyes and sobs wrack my body. I don't deserve Peeta. Not one tiny bit.

"Katniss-"

But I don't give him time to finish. I open my eyes, wrap my hands around the back of his neck and pull his lips to mine. Peeta jumps from shock, but eventually gives in, re-wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing me back with just as much heart. But this time, it's not for the cameras. This time, I truly mean every kiss, every embrace, and every word. The stirring deep inside begins, but this time its stronger then it has ever been before, because now, I know that I truly love Peeta. The feeling spreads from the bottom of my stomach to the points of my being and I'm consumed in a love for Peeta that I've never felt before. I don't want it to ever stop, but unfortunately, humans need to breathe, and so I pull away, both Peeta and I gasping for air.

Peeta stares at me in awe, whilst I give a full smile towards him and I realize that this is probably the first time I've smiled in what feels like years. And it's all because of Peeta.

"You have no idea, the effect that you have on me." I say, meaning every word that spills off my tongue. Peeta's face takes on a quizzical look and it's so sweet that I can't help a small chuckle that erupts from somewhere inside. Peeta joins in too and soon we're both a laughing mess, drinking in each others laughter like one of Haymitch's white liquor bottles.

"I thought that was my line!" Peeta laughs.

"Better get used to sharing then, Mellark"

He gives me a toothy grin, that I was so sure would split his face in two. Peeta then takes hold of my neck, pulling my face towards his to rest his forehead against mine.

"I've missed you so much, Katniss," he whispers, staring deep into my eyes where I can already feel the tears spilling over. "Don't ever leave me again. Those months in the Capitol were the worst months of my life and I'm so sorry that I let you go, left you alone and I regret every moment of it now. I love you so much Katniss Everdeen and don't you even think about letting me go because I'm not leaving your side for a long time yet. I'm keeping you close to me and you can complain all you want but this time it's my turn to be stubborn." I laugh at this, averting my eyes from Peeta's steady but loving gaze.

After a moment, his strong and steady hand lifts my chin up to meet his eyes again and like so many other times in my life, I'm yet again lost in a pool of blue.

"I love you like I haven't loved anyone before, Katniss, and I-"

"I love you too."

This one comment stops Peeta and his words, and for once in my life, I see him tongue-tied. Peeta continues to open, close and reopen his mouth like a fish, struggling for words, and I would've laughed at the sight if I weren't so deadly serious. He just continues to stare at me in awe and confusion when suddenly his face falls. I can feel my stomach drop as the nerves break in and Peeta leads me back over to the hospital bed where he ushers for me to sit down. So I do.

Peeta kneels in front of me, clutching my hands with his own. He lays his head down on my hands and before long I can feel the wet tears on my fists and this time I know these aren't joyous ones.

"Oh, god, Peeta, no-"

"Katniss, listen to me." He looks up from my hands and I can see his blue eyes rimmed with red. "You don't have to say that just to make me feel better-"

"Peeta, no! That's not-"

"Katniss, listen. I know you're trying to help me but you don't owe me anything. No matter what you say, you owe me nothing at all. Not for the bread, not for our games, not for my time in the Capitol and the torture I suffered. Okay? Nothing. Katniss, you don't have to pressurize yourself into saying things you don't mean-".

"But Peeta, you listen to me now. What I said wasn't a lie…" I pause and in that moment I catch a glimpse of hope flash across Peeta's features. "…and I'm not pressurizing myself into saying anything like that. I-I mean-" and just like that Peeta's face begins to fall again. He thinks I can't say it and this is what spurs me on. "I'm no good with words but Peeta, I do love you. I love you so much and I'm so sorry I didn't realize until now. I'm so stupid for not realizing before and I didn't know how good I really got until I lost you. Everyone said I did, for god's sake, even Finnick said I did!" Peeta chuckles at this and suddenly I know I need to finish. "Peeta, you may not believe me and I don't blame you because I know that coming to trust me after everything I said, I wouldn't believe me either. But you have to know that I do love you and if you still don't believe me then I'll show you." My hysteria begins to rise and suddenly words fall from my lips like a storm; an uncontrollable tangled line of them. "I'll stay with you, I'll help you recover, I'll stay with you every night, I'll-"

And then all of a sudden, I'm swept off my feet in Peeta's embrace, quickly shutting off my words replacing them with a squeal. I grab onto Peeta as he spins me, laughing as the room changes into a blur of color. And then I'm laughing too. I focus on Peeta's bright eyes as the world around us spins and we lose each other in ourselves. Soon, Peeta sets my feet back on the ground where without a moment to react, he pulls me in for a kiss.

As soon as our lips touch my eyes shut off anything and anyone in this world and in that one frame of time, I am yet again frozen, lost in everything Peeta and my heart lurches out for him. The stirring is stronger then ever and when Peeta finally pulls away I'm left overly dizzy and have to consider reciting my monologue. Peeta then rests his forehead against mine again and I'm suddenly overwhelmed with such a comfort and safety that I don't want to ever leave

"You've already made up for owing me. You don't have to do anything, Katniss, I believe you full-heartedly and you have no idea at this moment what I am feeling but-"

I place a finger to his lips cutting off his words. Peeta shuts his eyes tight, taking deep breaths.

"I think I've got a good idea," I say. Peeta reopens his eyes, giving a soft chuckle. I will always miss that sound whenever he's not around, as will I miss his mesmerizing blue eyes and his winning smile and his soft golden blonde mop of curls in the exact right shade, as will I miss all and everything Peeta.

"I love you Peeta Mellark."

And there, we're just two broken teenagers, grasping onto one another like a lifeline, frozen in time.

"I love you too Katniss Everdeen."

* * *

><p><strong>So I hope you all enjoyed! (I know this was fluff on a stick but I would appreciate it if you told me what you thought of it :) ) If you liked my one-shot please leave a comment and if anyone has any requests on further stories or one-shots please don't hesitate to ask! Thanks guys!<strong>

**Maddie :)  
><strong>


	2. Author Note:

**Hey Guys, Maddie here :)**

** First off, I'd just like to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorited and followed my one shot, Frozen in Time – I never thought I'd actually get that many favorites and follows for just a one shot!**

**Secondly, I don't remember if I told you guys, but I won't be turning Frozen in Time into a multi-chapter story, however, I have very recently posted my first chapter for my new story called Nothing Stronger than Hope (which will be continued!). I'd love for you guys to check it out and leave a review on what you think of it too :)**

**It starts as Katniss blows up the Quarter Quell arena but instead of being picked up by the rebels, Peeta finds her in time and the Capitol captures them. It's a hurt/comfort and almost adventure story but will definitely have romance too for all you Everlark shippers out there ;)**

**Thanks again guys – please go check out Nothing Stronger than Hope too :)**

**Maddie x**


End file.
